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Korico's lips pressed together, but he nodded. "I understand, Wingleader. I'd like to give some of the pain back to the wherhandlers, but if you need me more here, I'll do it. Some of those little ones don't look like they'll be making it to the fighting." His words and head turn drew N'mol and Cetalese's gazes to the group of junior weyrlings, namely the sleeping Silver and his rider.

"You can count on me," he added, with another nod. "Just tell me who I'm keeping and I'll get them under cover so that if the wherhandlers flee this way we won't be in danger. I've lived in Trine all my life; I know where to go."

---

Cetalese didn't understand how any rider could side with people who would try to kill riders and dragons or dismantle the weyrs. Their homes. That was a question that would have to be answered later, though.

"Do we wait?" she asked, looking back to D'lin. "Or do we go and hope more arrive before our plans are done?"

---

"Anything we can do," N'mol repeated. Archimonde would be brought to justice if they all survived this. There were too many who wanted to see him brought out and held accountable for them not to find him, even if one derelict Blue was helping him.

As Korico spoke, N'mol looked over at the sleeping Silver and the other weyrlings in the area. He studied the Silver for a moment, but returned his attention to the group he was with instead. Atypicals, colors in general, were not his concern at them moment. For this fight, your dragon's color wasn't going to matter very much; only how willing you were to drive back the wherhandlers and their accomplices.

Very wise, mine. All dragons will fight. All dragons will triumph. We will work as wing and weyr and we will win.

N'mol took a deep breath in through his nose, letting Tyeth's confidence wash through him as well. "If Korico is willing to take charge of them, then we don't need to leave a dragon behind. Even if dragons can't harm humans, there isn't a rule that says they can't harm whers. They're the beasts I'm most worried about encountering. If we can get enough of them outside, the dragons can handle them. In those corridors, though, we'll be on our own. Green whers can easily fit into tunnels if they aren't above average for their size." Though he maintained eye contact with his fellow Bronzeriders, N'mol's thoughts were for how to overcome some of the obvious obstacles they would be encountering soon. "We'll have to work in teams and come up with some kind of plan to draw the whers out of-- buildings." Trine, he remembered suddenly, had no tunnels but their mines. They were an outdoor weyr, for the most part. He blinked. "Sorry, I suppose I'm thinking about Benden's layout. Here, the dragons will be more handy than they would have been at Benden. Your weyrs, if I remember, are mostly buildings or outdoor weyrs. The dragons won't have to manage tunnels. They'll be of greater use here than they will be at Malvren or would have been at Benden. We'll need all of them."

As Korico agreed to look after those who couldn't fight D'lin nodded with relief "We need someone who knows the land, your contribution will not go unnoticed" He promised the man well aware that asking someone to stay out of the fight when his home was on the line was a difficult thing to ask. Still those who were to young or could not fight for any other reason needed to be taken care of.

He was glad to see Pipith and Set'al arrive and mentally added them to the numbers they had to work with before, motioning those here now into a group, sort of a war council if you will. Not everyone was here but enough were that they could work out a plan of some sort - they couldn't wait forever, not while their home was at risk.

"Yes" He agreed with N'mol's observations "And the forest, the whers will be capable of taking refuge in the woods." Picking up a stick he squatted down and drew a quick map of the Weyr. "The way I see it we have two options..we land on the beaches and make the Whers come to us - they won't be able to flank us on the beach, or we fight for the firestone stocks and use that to burn them out of the woods and buildings - driving the Whers to the beach where we can kill them off."

It was difficult to think of fighting those he had known in the Weyr but if they were not giving mercy then he was not going to give any either. It was time to harden his heart.

(Tag to Kindra and D'lin!)

Suunath has come safely to us. Tyeth told N'mol, then looked to Suunath and turned his attention there. It is good you are here. If any more of our siblings come they will need direction and it will do them good to see one of their Queens is safe. We have not seen any other Benden dragons or riders yet. We were the first.

N'mol paused as Tyeth bespoke him. He glanced quickly around, saw where Suunath had landed, and returned his attention to the diagram, speaking before the other Bronzeriders could. Kindra had chosen to land away from them; he would wait until she had gathered herself and come over to worry about speaking to her and where she would go. The decision, however, sat in the back of his mind as he turned his tongue to the directions of the present.

"Go for the firestone," N'mol suggested, eying the diagram since it would be the only view of the weyr he would get before they went in. "If we make the whers come to us it will only give them longer to clear out anyone who stayed behind in Trine, and more of a chance to establish themselves in well-fortified areas for falling back. If we fight for the firestone we'll risk early injuries, but it will give us more weapons to use against them and it will engage them quickly enough that they won't have time to fortify themselves any more than they already have. There are enough of us that we should be able to cover all sides, and if we move them to the beaches in good time they won't have much time to flank us either."

He paused, listening to one reply to his opinion, and then looked over as Kindra joined their group of riders. He inclined his head in a gesture of respect to his friend and potential future Weyrwoman.

Kindra's questions prompted a short shake of N'mol's head. "You will be the first." It did not bode well. He knew some of his wing-- F'law, F'itz, he thought K'en as well-- had been at the demonstration. F'itz had returned to the Weyr to look for survivors to rescue; had all the others ignored his orders and done the same? They had to stick together. Breaking away from the wing structure would put everyone at risk. He shifted the thought away with a slight tensing of his jaw. He couldn't worry about that now.

"I know Trine's Goldrider is here. D'lin and the rest of the fighting dragons will follow his plan to clear the Weyr." N'mol looked at the diagram in the ground. He did not want Kindra anywhere near the fighting. She and Isley were all Benden had left in the way of Golds and he hadn't seen Isley at all (not that that was unusual). If they-- when they-- reclaimed Benden, they would need a Gold to lead. He couldn't risk Kindra, even if Trine decided to risk their Gold in the end.

N'mol glanced at D'lin, then turned to Kindra and lowered his voice enough to make the conversation at least semi-private for the two of them. "I want you to stay clear of the fighting if you can. We may be short on hands, but you and Suunath may be the last Queen pair of Benden. I don't want you risking yourselves when we're going to need you whether or not we win this fight. Fight if you have to, but stay back otherwise. Depending on what plan we decide on, where I'd like for you to go will change."

Cetalese nodded. She was familiar with their training hall and D'lin's orders were sound. In a dangerous situation, this wouldn't be any more dangerous. She also concurred with the Wingleaders' suggestions, so she had nothing further to really add to the conversation. She would follow where she was told and improvise only if needed. Plans, after all, had a way of going sideways sometimes, just like in Threadfall.

"We'll follow your lead. The longer we wait, the more chance they have to realize we're here, though, if they haven't already," she pointed out, studying the map of her home a moment more before looking up to the assembled (primarily Bronze) riders around her. "We don't have time to wait for anyone else. We can keep an eye on the skies and direct riders as they come, if they come."

S'kiro arrived behind the others. With him was one of the new blue riders, F'iar. Neptanth flew quietly to the area. Plexith, we are here. Where do you need us? The large blue could see the others milling around and didn't want to land in the wrong area. He made sure that the young blue dragon was still with them. It wasn't easy to get out of the area with the young dragon, but they managed it.

S'kiro looked for familiar faces as they landed. Especially Dizzian's, he was worried about her and her green. He was glad to see that the Atypical hatchlings had arrived safely.

Hekate glanced over at Dizzian where she stirred. For a while it had simply been her and Courath who'd kept their silent watch. Devith had yet to rouse though his once troubled sleep had been soothed somewhat under his rider's hands. Stroking the silver's dusky hide she glanced to the little green wondering what she was up to before following her gaze to the blue dragon. Hmm? Was it a friend of Dizzian and Couraths?

"If there are Whers in the Weyr who prove to be innocent of this and work with us then they will be spared" D'lin agreed as S'kor spoke and when no one objected to the plan D'lin stood and looked around at the rider's gathered, Plexith had reported the arrival of many more while they talked - including a second gold to whom he respectfully dipped his head in polite greetings. There wasn't much time for any further polite introductions, surely she and her gold would understand.

'Plexith, get the dragons attention, including the hatchlings' D'lin asked of his bronze while he motioned for all the rider's, newly arrived and old to gather around.

"I know this will be hard for us all and some of us have already lost something precious but not all is lost yet, together we can push back these traitors...regain the Weyr and perhaps..someday regain what was lost as well. The Weyrs have been separated as of late but we can ill afford that separation now - Benden dragons fly with us and they are welcomed as the brothers and sisters that they have always been. WE are Dragonriders all of us and without us Pern will wither under the threat of Thread. WE fight not just for ourselves and our home but for the entire world...and we won't let them down" The bronze rider concluded in a determined tone before he moved on to last minute organization and orders.

"Alright - here is the plan for those of your who arrived later, we are striking the Gale Stalkers Headquarters first. The dragons will hold the perimeter while we riders loot the stash of firestone and agenothree wands we have inside. Pick up anything else you see that might be useful. Once we've armed ourselves with the firestone we will begin working our way around the lakes, driving the wher's from the woods with fire where needed and clearing the buildings - do not flame first ask later..there are innocent Weyrfolk and possible allies still at the Weyr, but leave no enemies behind to attack, if you find wounded - direct them back to here if they can make it or take them by dragon if they cannot and then return to the fight, Korico here will be watching over them and any others who cannot fight. Our goal is to drive the traitors onto the beaches where they cannot escape us and deal with them there. Try not to get seperated - we are stronger as a group however if you do find yourself alone and under attack have your dragon bespeak one of the Golds or Bronzes and we shall try to send you help...clear?"

Glancing around at those gathered to see if there were any questions D'lin waited a few moments and then gave the signal to mount up. Turning to Plexith he checked his straps and then mounted himself, checking the airspace above him before leaping into the sky and circling while he waited for his troops to follow him to the attack before blinking between.

Attack Thread!

((Non combatants & Hatchlings are being left behind in the care of Beasthandler Korico..however feel free to slip away and make your way to the Weyr if you want to join in on the fight. Or you can stick around here and Whers can attack the gather point - whichever you'd like to do! Also remember you can make up NPC enemies to fight if needed. Epic battle go! Have fun all! ))